The Mississippi River will hit a record low-water mark and barges could be completely halted for up to two weeks, perhaps even longer.

Jobs will be lost, food prices will rise. Overall, the economic impact will be felt everywhere.

You see, while the ?dry season? is nothing new, it’s been 56 years since one has been followed by a drought of the magnitude we witnessed last summer. The result of this combination has pushed Mississippi’s levels so low that near the river’s midpoint, it may soon be too shallow for barges to operate safely.

And this, my friends, puts 20,000 jobs and billions of dollars in revenues at risk.

Senators representing those communities along the Mississippi have been seeking to get the Army Corp of Engineers to release more water from the Missouri River. But that’s not sitting so well with those who rely on the Missouri. As it is, the Mississippi has already pulled in nearly 80% of its water from the Missouri this year because of the drought. During a normal year, it’s only about 60%.